Sustainability Research Group
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Ongoing Research Projects
Practical strategies and approaches to engage SMEs in environmental improvement
Dr Craig Parker, Dr Janice Redmond (external), Dr Mike Simpson (external)
This project explores the (negative) impact which SMEs have on the environment and the interventions which can be used by all levels of governments and other stakeholders to engage SMEs in environmental improvement.
Publications:
- Parker, C.M., Redmond, J. and Simpson, M. (2009) Review of interventions to encourage SMEs to make environmental improvements, Environment & Planning C: Government & Policy 27(2): 279-301.
- Carr, R., Graham, M., Mason, C. and Parker, C.M. (2009) Encouraging SMEs to participate in the management of common pool resources, 23rd Annual Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference, Melbourne, Australia 1-4 December.
- Redmond, J., Walker, B., Wang, C., Simpson, M. and Parker, C.M. (2008) The impact of small business on the environment, 31st Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference, Belfast, Ireland, 5-7 November.
- Parker, C.M., Redmond, J. and Simpson, M. (2008) Intervention strategies to engage small and medium sized enterprises in environmental good practice, 2nd SME - Entrepreneurship Global Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 3-4 July.
Corporate social responsibility engagement by Australian SMEs
Craig Parker (contact), Bardo Fraunholz, Ambika Zutshi, Merete Crofts
This project explores how Australian SMEs communicate their Corporate Social Responsibility activities (that is, their social and environmentally responsible practices and values) via their websites. This qualitative, exploratory research involves content analysis of SME websites from a range of industry sectors, as well as follow-up surveys and interviews with SMEs. The results of this project will be used to develop case studies which can be used to promote to SMEs the economic, social and environmental benefits which they can achieved when engaging in CSR.
Publications:
- Parker, C.M., Fraunholz, B., Zutshi, A. and Crofts, M. (2011) A method for examining corporate social responsibility descriptions on SME websites, 15th Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems, Brisbane, Australia (to appear).
- Parker, C.M., Fraunholz, B., Zutshi, A. and Crofts, M. (2010) How do Australian small and medium enterprises communicate their environmental improvement activities online?, Australasian Journal of Information Systems 17(1): 5-21.
- Parker, C.M., Zutshi, A. and Fraunholz, B. (2010) Online corporate social responsibility communication by Australian SMEs: a framework for website analysis, 23rd Bled eConference, Bled, Slovenia, 20-23 June, pp. 509-523.
- Parker, C.M., Zutshi, A. and Fraunholz, B. (2010) How Australian small businesses are using their websites to communicate CSR initiatives, 2010 Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 6-10 August.
- Parker, C.M., Fraunholz, B. and Zutshi, A. (2009) How do Australian small and medium enterprises communicate their corporate social responsibility activities online?, 23rd Annual Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 1-4 December.
Potential Student Research Topics
Please enquire with the research group convenor Craig Parker if you are interested in pursuing a research topic on environmental sustainability in the School of Information Systems. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
Small business and environmental credentials
This project would examine the (online/software) tools and support small businesses need to help them document, report and market their environmental credentials. This work will be especially important in the context of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme being introduced in Australia in 2010, because small businesses will be pressured by their large trading partners which will be required by legislation to reduce their carbon footprint.
eBusiness and environmental sustainability
This project would explore the issues underpinning the ability of small businesses to use eBusiness approaches (such as telework) to reduce their environmental impact.
Software tools to help small business identify environmental sustainability solutions
This project would explore the features and types of software tools which small businesses can use to improve their environmental sustainability. This could include, for instance, mobile phone or web-based applications which small businesses can use to assess the carbon footprint of their products and services.
Online environmental sustainability knowledge repository for small businesses
This project would explore the role which online centralised repositories of environmental sustainability knowledge can play in providing small businesses with tailored, specific advice and businesses cases on how they can become more environmentally responsible.
Environmental sustainability and supply chain management.
This project would explore the challenges of and supply chain modelling approaches for measuring the environmental impact of products and services across their entire supply chain life cycle. This work will be especially important in the context of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme being introduced in Australia in 2010, because small businesses will be pressured by their large trading partners which will be required by legislation to reduce their carbon footprint.
